What's the best way to be twenty, flirty and thriving this summer you ask? My advice, go to a summer music festival. I had never actually ever been to a music festival until about a year ago, and believed that all you did was sing along to hipster bands, wear flower crowns, crop tops, and high-waisted shorts and eat churros. After seeing snapchat stories, pictures and videos on the internet, I was made to believe that summer music festivals were the bees knees. It seemed like the perfect Instagram opportunity combined with a place to hear my spotify playlist live.
At least that's what I thought.
The summer of 2014 marked my first time at Summerfest, the largest music festival in the world. For all of you midwesterners out there, you know what I'm talking about. And for all those of you who find yourself somewhere else, let me give you a little background on Summerfest. Summerfest claims to be the largest music festival in the world, spanning 11 days, on 11 different stages with over 800 bands and acts. Doesn't that sound like the greatest thing ever? I mean it does, what's not to love about all of your favorite bands conveniently located in one place?
When I went the first night, it's safe to say I had a twinkle in my eye due to all of the excitement that surrounded the event. I was an amateur concert-goer at the time and really was just looking forward to hanging out with my friends while listening to my favorite bands. However, once I entered the Summerfest grounds, I felt like I had been thrown into a black-friday shopping experience. To my right were rabid music fans acting as if their life depended on being in the front row at their favorite bands' concerts, and to my left were the people who acted like the mass amounts of miller lite were going to magically run out. As I stood in the middle of what seemed like a conglomeration of chaos, I thought to myself, is this really worth it?
Surprisingly, the answer was yes.
You see, after my drama queen rant, I realized just how much fun I had, even in the mess of 900,000 people. There's an indescribable energy that circulates through the crowd, and the atmosphere is one-of-a-kind. And quite frankly, you can't beat the $19 ticket price.
Now that Summerfest is back, and the summer music festival season has begun, here is list of 7 things that will make your experience much more enjoyable.
1.Go With Friends.
Don't go by yourself. I repeat, do not go to a music festival by yourself. You will find yourself alone in a large crowd, and most likely sad. Your friends make everything better, they'll sing with you, they'll dance with you, and best of all they'll pretend they know the words with you. You definitely need your friends. Trust me on this one.
2.Make sure you bring cash.
Bring cash. You'd think that since its 2015 they would have the whole "debit card" thing down, but seriously cash will be your best friend. And with cash, you won't have to log onto your bank account the next morning and remember that you spent eight dollars on a mediocre warm beer.
3.Wear your least favorite shoes.
First of all, concerts are dirty. Everyone's walking around, and who knows where those feet have been. Second, when people dance, they have the tendency to spill beer everywhere, including your feet. Trust me, I have had to say RIP to multiple pairs of shoes because of concerts. Concerts are your opportunity to rock your ugliest shoes, so take advantage of this and rock on with your bad self.
4.Don't spend too much time on your makeup.
It's dark outside. Therefore no one can see your face. And you sweat. Enough said.
5.Have a plan of attack.
Music festivals have lots of performers. Sometimes you're going to have to choose between two of your favorite bands. Be sure and know which bands you want to see beforehand! Make sure your friends are on the same page, and you'll be in the clear.
6.Bring a jacket.
Yes, I understand its summer, but many times those summer nights can dip at least 15 degrees, so if you get cold easily like the majority of my friends, be sure to bring a jacket. Or befriend a nice stranger at the concert, in hopes that they will give you their jacket.
7.Go in with a positive outlook.
Lastly, concerts are at times stressful and overwhelming. If you have the tendency to be a negative nelly, then stop right now. Do not go, because you'll probably ruin it for your friends. You have to learn to go with the flow, and make the best of each situation, otherwise you will have absolutely no fun. Be positive, and embrace the good and the bad!
There you have it, seven ways to insure you'll have a great time. So if you learned anything other than the fact that I'm a drama queen, I hope you learned that you should embrace the chaos that music festivals bring, even if they seem like a hassle at the moment. I promise you'll enjoy yourself once you're there.
Happy Summer all, and remember to rock on.
